KEMMERER, Wyo. — The first series of major contract awards has been announced by TerraPower for the construction of the future Natrium nuclear plant in Kemmerer, Wyoming. These contractors will work to assemble the plant’s reactor enclosure system, according to a TerraPower press release.
Equipos Nucleares S.A., a nuclear power manufacturing company out of Maliaño, Spain, is set to construct the reactor’s head. Also called a top shield, the head serves as the main access point for fuel going into the reactor.
According to TerraPower, the Doosan Corporation will construct the core barrel, guard vessel and internal supports for the reactor. Doosan is based out of Korea. These components provide critical safety and are a part of the reactor’s main structure.
HD Hyundai will manufacture the reactor vessel itself. Also a Korean company, HD Hyundai will construct the thick shell that holds the nuclear fuel, which is cooled by molten sodium.
The rotating plug, a component constructed in the upper shell of the reactor that provides access to the reactor core, will be built by Marmen. Marmen is a North American company most recognized for its construction of wind energy systems.
Included in the release was a message by TerraPower President and CEO Chris Levesque, who said that assembling the right team of contractors will go a long way in making America’s next and most innovative reactor.
“The Natrium design is a game-changing technology, and assembling the right team of vendors to construct the first reactor speaks to TerraPower’s commitment to commercializing this technology and ensuring advanced nuclear fulfills its role in addressing surging global energy demand,” Levesque said.
The Natrium reactor site is going to be constructed in two seperate parts: the nuclear component itself and the non-nuclear half of the plant.
While contracts have just been awarded for the more complex nuclear power side of this project, construction on the other half began earlier this year and is already changing the energy landscape of Kemmerer and western Wyoming. For more information, see Oil City News’s original reporting on the implications of this technology on the state.
This plant will be the first of its kind anywhere in the Western Hemisphere. It differs vastly from more traditional water-cooled nuclear plants in that it’s cooled by more stable and efficient molten sodium metal. Included below is a PDF file produced by TerraPower explaining how this technology differs from standard nuclear power.
The long-term goal expressed by TerraPower billionaire founder and financial backer Bill Gates is for more plants of this kind of eventually pop up around the United States.
“We’re going to build a lot of these things,” Gates said at the TerraPower groundbreaking ceremony earlier this year.
Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon has also repeatedly expressed his support for the adoption of new energy technologies in the state, both in official capacities like his statements in the Western Governors’ Association Decarbonizing the West report and for events such as the groundbreaking ceremony.
“Advances made here will bolster Wyoming’s ability to produce another source of dispatchable power securely,” Gordon said in a press release attached to the groundbreaking of the TerraPower Natrium Plant. “In Wyoming we know energy — and we will continue to provide it to help keep our nation competitive and safe.”
As this plant is still years away from being fully constructed, those interested can follow TerraPower on socials for updates as they become available.
